Wednesday, September 12, 2012

I am literally baffled when I see parents striking their children. I don't understand why some parents feel it is okay to hit their child for disobedience, but would never ever assault an adult in the same way for not doing as they wished. Can you imagine someone coming up to you on the street, telling you to do something, and then hitting you repeatedly until you figured out what they wanted and did it, in reality that person would go to jail for physical assault and battery! But who stands up for the child with no voice? For some reason it is very wrong for a stranger to beat the crap out of you on the street, but totally okay if it is your family and it takes place at home, those ones don't go to jail... It is an absurd thought, why would anyone ever do that to another adult, yet it is totally acceptable in children with severely limited verbal and emotional skills, also unable to physically defend themselves, to be struck for disobedience, in fact most people encourage this. Most people do so in the name of God, they think it says somewhere in the Bible that they should beat their children, and it most certainly does not. Jesus tells us that we are to come to Him as children, and that anyone who is a stumbling block to a child is going to have a very bad outcome in the end. Jesus tells us to disciple/discipline our children, here is wikipedia's definition:

In its original sense,disciplineis systematic instruction given todisciplesto train them as students in a craft or trade, or any other activity which they are supposed to perform, or to follow a particularcode of conductor "order". Often, the phrase "to discipline" carries a negative connotation. This is because enforcement of order – that is, ensuring instructions are carried out – is often regulated throughpunishment.

Discipline is the assertion of willpower over more base desires, and is usually understood to be synonymous with self control. Self-discipline is to some extent a substitute for motivation, when one uses reason to determine the best course of action that opposes one's desires.

Jesus never told us to hit our children, and he severely chastened those who tried to keep the children from coming to him in their pure and beautiful spirits. We are to mentor, to train... Not to teach our children that when they get upset with another person the right thing to do is strike them until they behave as they should. There are countless studies that prove that physically striking your child for punishment causes rage and anger to boil up in them and pour out at other times, among MANY other negative effects.

What a different world this would be if we could teach our children in the way we want to be taught ourselves, and if we viewed raising our children as a joy and treasure, not a joyless mindless task where we seek only to get through one day to the next. Life was meant to have joy in it.

Thursday, September 6, 2012

“Who are you?” She
says to herself in the mirror, her face becoming blurred and unrecognizable.

“I used to know what you looked like,” she insists, but she
has tried to please too many for too long, for the wrong reasons.

She no longer sees defined characteristics in her face, only
mute fear of being left alone that has corrupted her heart’s view.

The cup she tried to fill was not her own, she isn’t
supposed to seek human validation.

She feels empty, but full, wanders as if she is lost, but
knows the way in her soul if she will just quiet it and listen.

She knows the melody, the sweet refrain, it bounces off of
creation and sings to her in the rain.

She is wise beyond her years, she knows that her heart
dances alone to the beat of creation’s song within.

She learns to feel full and validated through herself and
Creator alone.

She is confident that trends come and go and knows no
earthly belonging can hold the value and beauty of her most precious works.

Her husband and children indeed rise and call her “blessed,”
she is their light, their sun and moon.

She is steady and constant, unwavering in thought she trains
her mind to meditate, to learn to respond instead of react.

She knows the value of still silence, yet adores the busy
bustle and noise the children will bring later in the morning hours.

She treasures her husband, she honors him with her hands,
heart and soul.

She stands at the precipice of his soul and tends to his
every need daily.

Her children are joyful, balanced and grounded firmly in
love and gratitude.

She knows the value of basing the core of her emotions on embodying
and reverberating love and gratitude; the heartbeat of the earth, the soul of
the soil.

She understands everything fashioned by her Creator is a
beauty to behold, weeds are no longer seen as such.

She breathes in the warm scent of the wild blackberries and
enjoys it’s fruit instead of whining about it’s thorns.

She marvels at both plants and animals and their amazing
abilities to adapt to their surroundings.

She understands adaptation is the key to the very heart beat
of the Universe. Survival of the most adaptations,
not fittest!

She dances and howls to the tides of the moon, uncaring of
who hears her spirit’s cry, too long have her lips been silent and her feet
been bound.

Beauty that begins in the heart manifests itself outwardly
in time, she understands patience, love and gratitude will eventually clear her
path.

She understands she cannot see past the choices she has yet
made, but she still strives for perfection through showing compassion.

She is not a door mat for the world to wipe their feet on,
she stands tall and full needing no validation.

She learns how to become whole again, a little more each
day. Life has at times pummeled her in
the waves of her fears and left her shipwrecked on the beach with nothing left
to do but pick up the rabble and start again.

Healing comes through repetition…

She knows she can always find joy in today, she dances to
forget yesterday and to remember tomorrow.

Her star burns bright and fierce now, motivated with love and
gratitude, who can escape her glow…